Research done in recent years after Florida's last historic cold snap reveals that the temperature at which iguanas become cold-stunned may be lower than what was commonly believed before.

"As a scientist, I was fascinated why these lizards can now tolerate a colder temperature than they had recently, prior to this cold snap," reptile researcher James Stroud of Georgia Tech’s School of Biological Sciences told Gulf Coast News via Zoom.

Stroud has been studying invasive lizards of all sizes with a particular focus on understanding their tolerance for cold temperatures. His work has revolved around studying lizards that survive significant cold snaps and then testing to see how their tolerance changes afterward.

"Prior to the cold snap event, all lizards could tolerate temps around 46 to 50 degrees," Stroud said. "After they experienced colder temps than they had experienced in the previous few winters, they could suddenly tolerate colder temps, down to around 42 Fahrenheit."